Schweizerhaus - now open

The famous Schweizerhaus in the Prater opens today for their 2009 season.

www.schweizerhaus.at

some posters here always note this special day .

This place well known for stelze - (pig knuckle) meal.

Also note that several higher priced restaurants have recently closed in the city center

Morwald in the Ambassador hotel- perhaps the Morwald firm to be purchased by the owner of the Grand Hotel. Some say Morwald will be the new chef at the now being renovated Palais Schwarzenberg Hotel.

I am told that the deluxe restaurant in Palais Coburg is closed -after the departure of its well known chef.

I just post this as many guides and websites show these as deluxe dining places without notice of the closings.

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I am highly interested in whether they have increased the price of a large beer (500ml=Krügerl). In my opinion the Schweizer Haus became a little bit too expensive in the recent years in comparison to the quality they provide.

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Removed on: 1:19 pm, yesterday

Public internet

Will be in Voitsberg for a couple days and I am wondering if they have free (or minimal cost) internet for travellers. Would like to check mostly my emails while in the area.

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I doubt that such a small town offers free (or charged) internet over WLAN as this is not usual in Austria. But in case you can%26#39;t access it there, you can still go to nearby Graz where you will definitely find a cafe or any other facility with internet.

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Thanks for your reply, I will be in Graz for one day, so it seems that will be my only day for internet.

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Location of Sacher Hotel in Salzburg

I%26#39;d like to stay 2 nights in Salzburg.At first i eyed Goldener Hirsch but found pretty many cons and complains so i%26#39;m thinking now of Sacher Hotel.What i wonder is its location,i%26#39;d like to know if it%26#39;s best location to walk to old town to visit Dom,mozart%26#39;s birthplace and other must-see in Salzburg.

Thanks!

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Some days ago I gave you the Sacher website - if you looked there - a map and narrative shows its ideal location by the River.

5 minutes walk to many must sees.

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Its probably the nearest hotel not actually in the old town.

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The Sacher is in a great location on the riverside. It overlooks the old city so ask for a room that faces the river rather than the other side. It is located right next to the Makartsteg footbridge which leads into the old town and all the tourist sights. The old town is very small so everything is close together. From the Sacher to Mozart%26#39;s birthplace would take between five and ten minutes to walk. A further five minutes would take you to the Dom.

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Be sure and go to the fort on the hill overlooking the town. and there is a beer garden you should check it is the largest in austria ran b y monks good beer and good people trust me you wont regret the visit

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Thank you all!i%26#39;ll sure keep your useful information to consideration.

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Removed on: 1:17 am, yesterday

Help with planning...

a short tour of western Austria-historic towns at the beginning of July.

I%26#39;d be grateful if someone could give some suggestions.

We are 2 60yr old couples. We%26#39;ll be arriving from Lindau by car:

1st day Lindau Feldkirch Silvretta Hochalpenstr.( What%26#39;s this drive like? There are 14% slopes ) Imst

2°Imst Hall Gerlosspass Zell

3° Zell Grossglockner Lienz

4° Lienz Spittal Nockalmstrass Radstatt

5° Radstatt Werfen Salzburg

6° Salzburg hellbrun Kustein

7° Back to Italy

This roughly our plan and we may be able to put 1 or 2 more days.

Thanks in advance

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That%26#39;s a lot of driving. But let me comment on the stages. The Sivretta Hochstrasse is very scenic. At the beginning, from Bludenz, it is fairly steep with hairpin curves.. Personally, I prefer to drive it in the opposite direction.

Gerlospass is a toll road, easy to drive. Great views.

I would reverse the Grossglockner, coming from Lienz instead from Zell am See and Bruck. To do that, I suggest you take the road (B-108)from Mittersill to Lienz, it%26#39;s over a pass, but an easy drive on a good road. Spend the night in Luzern or Heiligenblut, and skip Spiital and Radstatt.

Instead, the next morning take the Grossglockner. This direction has the advantage that %26quot;uphill%26quot; you have fewer busses to content with. They are SLOW and -coming from Bruck - you are bound to get stuck behind one or more for a pretty long time. Few places to pass.

Spend the night in Zell or Saalfelden if you don%26#39;t want to drive too much that day. In any event, for the next stretch to Salzburg go: Zell, Saalfelden, Lofer, then on the Austrian B-178/German B-21 and B-305 (Deutsche Alpenstrasse) to Berchtesgaden and Salzburg (coming into town the %26quot;back way%26quot;). It%26#39;s a shame just to spend the night in Salzburg. Add a day.

When leaving Salzburg, head on the Salzbug - Munich autobahn (A-8) either as far as Bernau and take the detour to Prien and the Herrenchiemsee palace of King Ludwig on an island in the lake, or continue on the A-8 as far as the Inntal Dreieck interchange and head on the Innsbruck autobahn southwest to Innsbruck, Brenner, and Italy.

Unless there is another rason why you want to visit Spittal etc., you will see plenty of beautiful mountain scenery along the above described route.

If you want to reverse the whole itinerary (i.e. entere Austria from Undine or Cortina d%26#39;Ampezzo, let me know, and we can work out some other routing that would put you to Lindau last (and traverse the Silvretta the easier way).

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Just a few sugestions to add to the good comments above.

Be certain you buy a highway use sticker - a Vignette - mandatory for driving on major roads in Austria- available at or near border in gas stations , stores etc.

10 day vignette is 7,70 euro

Also the Inntal autobahn ( A-12)east of Innsbruck / Hall has large construction ongoing - this can cause delays , slow traffic etc.

an alternative is the lesser highway #171 - it runs directly next to the autobahn- and perhaps a little easier from Hall to Jenbach where you probably turn into the Zillertal to get to the Gerlos Pass

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Thanks Treplow and Vertical!!

Now I%26#39;ll take a look of the itinery on my map as soon as I can and may get back for further help! The reason why we%26#39;re giving Salzburg only 1 night is that we%26#39;ve already spent a short holiday there. But it was winter so we missed Hellbrun%26#39;s water games!

We have put Spittal and Radstatt in because they are among the small historic towns suggested in the KHS Tour

Bye.

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Sounds great! You will visit very beautiful and impressive regions of Austria. Beside the motorway toll sticker you will also have to pay of the usage of the mountain roads (Gerlos, Großglockner).

http://www.gerlosstrasse.at/

http://www.grossglockner.at/

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Thanks for these links Mickey!

I hadn%26#39;t found them. I%26#39;ll give them a look. Do you too think we should drive the Glossglocker the other way round?

Bye.

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Removed on: 2:20 pm, October 20, 2009

which town nearby is good to vist by bus

hi what towns are good to vist near Zell am See

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Well, you would not find many places in this region that could be classified as %26#39;towns%26#39;. As you are located in a town, only Kitzbuhel would deserve it either in my opinion. I%26#39;d rather focus on the beautifuul landscape...

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Mikey,

saw that yu are tagged as a vienna expert.

we are flying into vienna and are booked into a resort timeshare at salzburg in the last week of April.

Is it advisable to drive down from vienna to salzburg and onwards to saalfelden.

How long will it take and will it be good or not worth it? what are the alternatives and what would yu recommend.

we are not into skiing and hence would love to hear your opinion about where to go from saalfelden.

thanx

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Removed on: 2:20 pm, October 20, 2009

driving from vienna to salzberg

can anyone comment on what this drive is like, i plan to go in march. I understand it is weather permitting but wondering how long it usually takes, how safe the road is, it is through mountains? along cliffs, etc. how many lanes? is it scenic? ( I understand there is a train also)

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This is an easy drive on the major east- west autobahn in Austria.

The trip is about 300 Kilometers- 180+- miles . Time 3hours or less.

Speed limit in most places is 130 km ( 78+- mph) many ignore this limit

Many areas of the autobahn recently renovated 2or 3 lanes in each direction. Numerous rest areas with services. Some areas may still have some construction in March but this is usually no problems.

A very safe standard -no cliffs or dangerous areas- not really scenic in my opinion except for an an near the Mondsee not far from Salzburg.

As this is a major road - it receives much attention in snow weather.. I drive this route many times during the year and only avoid it during a heavy snowfall.

While trucks are required to have snow tires on this road after November till March, some t rucks from eastern countries sometimes ignore this rule and suffer for it. Unfortunately this can cause a problem for others too.

Perhaps you may want to check a map as you can leave Vienna on the A-22 west to Krems then to a nice ride along the Danube to Melk- then on the Autobahn to an exit in Salzburgland for a detour through the Lake Disrrict- a good alternative no matter the season.

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A more scenic drive is along the north shore of theDanube. Go as far as Linz, then cross over the Danube and for the rest of the trip take the A-1 autobahn.

It%26#39;s and easy drive. From Vienna take the A-22 north to Stockerau. (Be sure you have the autobahn user%26#39;s decal on your car. Any gas station will sell it to you).

From Stockerau take the B-55 to Krems, and from there the B-3 to Neustadt, Ybbs. Along the way visit Duernstein, Maria Taferl; in Emmersdorf you can cross the Danube to see Melk, then rfturn to the B-3.

If you run late, you can also cross the Danube in Ybbs and get on the autobahn. Otherwise, on the way from Neustadt-Ybbs- Linz you can stop at the Mauthausen Concentration camp.

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Prior poster gives some less than accurate advice regarding road directions - Vienna- Krems- Danube.

From Vienna one takes the A-22 to Stockerau- then watch for exit sign in blue and green color %26quot; Wachau%26quot; is in green on the bottom and in blue Krems above. the roadway is S-5 -not B-55

After Krems, the S-5 becomes S-3- no turns needed.

In my opinion, the roadway Krems- Melk has the nicer views of the river.

The Church Maria Taferl has suffered over years without good restoration. Some work has begun now. My last visit -many things covered with works , thus visit is not too good

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Thank you both, I really appreciate the advice!

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One more thing is there a phone number to call to get information on these roads in case of bad weather?

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Several good ways to get road info-

many cars are equipped with a warning feature on the radio that will break into regular programs with traffic stall, accident or weather problems- only in german however.

Tune radio to station FM4 - broadcast in english during the day

in Vienna 103.8

in Salzburg 104.6 or 97.7

in Innsbruck 101.4

on TV text #109 for weather forecast

on web

www.wetter.at

www.oamtc.at auto club but in german

on line webcams

www.panoramablick.com

www.wetter.com

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Vertical,

thanx for your advice. I and my family are planning a trip there in April last week and hope to drive from vienna to salzberg and back after a few days.

A few Qs

1)Is there possibility of snow and ice in april last week(i have no experience of driving on either).

2) will i need to fit / ask for winter tyres etc for an April last week trip.

3) is the road mountaineous and hence unsafe in parts

4) is it possible to do a scenic drive if one is not too stressed out on time.

5)if we leave vienna by 10 AM, approximately when will we reach saalfelden near zell am see.

thanx

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Removed on: 12:24 am, September 13, 2009

Salzburg to Prague by train

I am trying to find out about trains from Salzburg to Prague. I can%26#39;t seem to understand any of the websites I have tried. I think I read somewhere that there was a morning direct train. How long it takes I don%26#39;t know.

I also understand that there are many direct trains from Vienna. Would it be easier (shorter) to train to Vienna then train to Prague?

I plan on going early July.

Any help is appreciated.

Confused

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Hello, there is a train that goes from Salzburg to Prague in the afternoons (14.22) arriving in Prague at 20.41. This is a direct train without any changes. If you go to the OBB website and put in the date you want to travel you can see the details:

http://www.oebb.at/

Liz.

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You can find the europe-wide train trip planner (+ all means of public transport in Austria) at:

http://fahrplan.oebb.at/bin/query.exe/en

Connections at Linz and Ceske Budejovice are quite easy.

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There is also a 4:44 am non stop showing on the schedule.

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Removed on: 9:16 pm, yesterday

Drive in Czech

We are planning to rent a car to drive in Czech after our 3 days in Prague. If anyone have experience driving in Czech, please share whether it is ok or we shoudl change to take trainor bus instead?

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You might be better to post this on a Czech forum - Vienna is in Austria!

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Removed on: 9:17 pm, yesterday

K & T boardinghouse vs pension suzanne

We are looking for a reasonably priced (Euro 80 to max 115) clean room with a comfortable bed, ensuite shower and WC and hopefully somewhat quiet room for sleeping. We want to be close to the city centre, or a quick ride away on the u Bahn. Breakfast included would be nice but isn%26#39;t a deal breaker.

K %26amp; T Boardinghouse has almost 100% good reviews, but one said they were %26quot;bitten%26quot; at night. Everyone else says the rooms are incredibly clean--it%26#39;s a pension without breakfast but other than that it would suit our needs perfectly. However, we experienced bedbugs in London last year, it was a nightmare and I never want to go through that again.

Pension Suzanne looks great--but it is pushing our budget a bit.

Any comments or suggestions appreciated.

(late July 3 night stay).

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Both would offer a satisfactory stay.

i would not let one comment about bugs make a huge difference as that is apparently the only one regarding this.

Most places here would be clean enoough and bug free.

But consider several things - the Kand T is on the 3rd floor of a building with no lift - thus a walk up and down- the 3rd floor here is actually the 4th floor as the ground floor is noted as 0. first floor is thus the 2nd etc.

Kand T is on a very busy shopping street - no one comments about noise but it can be loud.

The plus of the location -near shopping and some restaurants- near public transport U-3 and busalso

a longer walk or public transport ride to most sites.

No breakfast so add about 10 euro or perhaps more dependng on hunger for this in a cafe.

Suzanne - as you note a little more expensive - excelent location in very center of Vienna- near sights, many nearby restaurnats, shopping - near public transport

for a little more money , I would choose the convenience of the Suzanne- but just my opinion - everyone likes someting different.

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I have not added 2 more places into the mix!

Looked back at some previous posts and also inquired at:

Pension Lerner and Pension Bosch. They both are in the Euro 82 to 88 range. They sound a little %26quot;old fashioned%26quot; and basic, but clean and well located. But, neither is in any guidebook I have, and there are not too many reviews (around 6 or so). They sound fine, but any Vienna experts out there with an opinion?

I am having so much trouble deciding because I want to save some money to actually have some fun in Vienna, at the same time, I want to ensure our pension is clean and we sleep well.

Thank you!

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Oops--my typing should say %26quot;now added%26quot;.

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Well here%26#39;s another good Pension with lots of reviews (all pretty favourable) and within your target budget

http://www.pensionkraml.at/EN/index.html

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Removed on: 11:20 am, yesterday

lockers at vienna airport

Here is a strange question--are the lockers at the vienna airport big enough to fit a large suitcase? Trying to pack and wanting to make sure we can store our things on a long layover.

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I think so!

www.viennaairport.com

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The airport has a left luggage check office on the Arrivals floor . They accept all sizes of luggage for extended time periods.Simply exit the baggage claim area - turn lrft and walk toward the auto rental counter areas.

The Baggage check is on the left side across from the rental counters.

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Do you know if there are similar facilities at the train stations in Vienna? We will be flying to Vienna in the morning and then catching a train to Budapest later in the afternoon. We%26#39;d like to be able to take our luggage to the train station, leave it there and then walk around Vienna for a couple of hours. Will this be possible?

Thanks!

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Lockers available at all major station in Austria. You need to help yourself, while you enjoy assistance at the airport!

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Check which station your selected train will leave from for Budapest -either Sudbahnhof or Westbahnhof .

Take the airport transfer bus from the airport - same bus goes to each station ( 6 euro ) tickets available from driver - bus ids found just outside of Arrivals Hall.

check your luggage in the lockers -

Take streetcar %26quot; D %26quot; from Sudbahnhof to city center -

UBahn U-3 from Wesbahnhof to center .

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Thanks! You two have told me exactly what I needed to know.

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Hi,

Please tell us if you mange to stor your luggage at the Vienna Airport.

Thank you

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I think the chances of these guys still following this post after a year is slim! But the advice they were given, which answers your question, still applies!

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Removed on: 9:22 am, September 23, 2009

Traveling from Munich to Venice and want to stop in Austria

My wife and I are taking a 2 week trip in mid-June and we are looking for some Austria travel advice. We are starting out in Munich and then plan on traveling to Venice. We would like to stop in Austria for a few nights (no more than 3) but we are not exactly sure where we want to go. Any ideas? One thought was Innsbruck as this seems to be the most direct route. Thanks!!

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The city of Innsbruck and its surroundings offer a lot of worthwhile things to do. Innsbruck owns a compact and cute city centre with mighty mountains in the background. Within 30 minutes you can reach an altitude of 2.200m above sea level from where you can enjoy a breathtaking view.

You could also go via Salzburg, the birthplace of W.A. Mozart and %26quot;Sound of music%26quot;.

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I would suggest buying the Bayern Karte ticket for about €28 (can be shared by 2-5 persons), from Munich to travel to Salzburg. Then in Salzburg buy the Einfach-Raus-Ticket by ÖBB for €28 (Can be shared by 2-5 persons too)and travel to Innsburg as day trip.

But with less than 3 days, I would opt for Salzburg.

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Are you going by car or train. If car, head on the Salzburg - Italy autobahn south (toward Undine) and stay in Millstatt at the Millstatter See. Nice town, lake and various places for short hikes, walks or drives.

If by car, take the train ( via Rosenheim, nor Garmisch)to Jenbach. From there take the short train ride either to one of the locations in the Zillertal Aschau, Mayrhofen), or to Pertisau at the Achensee.

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Are you going by car or train. If car, head on the Salzburg - Italy autobahn south (toward Undine) and stay in Millstatt at the Millstatter See. Nice town, lake and various places for short hikes, walks or drives.

If by car, take the train ( via Rosenheim, nor Garmisch)to Jenbach. From there take the short train ride either to one of the locations in the Zillertal Aschau, Mayrhofen), or to Pertisau at the Achensee.

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The mentioned %26quot;Einfach-Raus-Ticket%26quot; and %26quot;Bavaria-Ticket%26quot; (both passes for unlimited rides) are subject to certain conditions which may interfere with your intentions. Please browse the forum - in case you are interested in these tickets - in order to find more detailed information.

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We are plan on taking trains for our trip. After doing a little more research I think there will be a bit more for us to do in Salzburg. A day trip into the mountains seems like a good idea and we will look into that. Thanks for the comments.

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Good decision. Take the train to Hallstatt, or the bus to Berchtesgaden. The latter gives you more time to explore places - - - the Kehlsteinhaus (Eagles Nest), the Jenner lontain by gondola lift for another beautiful view of the Watzmann mountain, and the Koenigsee lake.

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Removed on: 6:19 am, yesterday

wine tasting near Durnstein

Are there any standout wineries to stop and enjoy a tasting while biking along the danube between Durnstein and Melk? I know the area is known for reisling...we are more red wine lovers. Do you have to book tastings in advance?

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Dürnstein - near to the bahnhof you will find Dömane Wachau -

www.domaene.wachau.at

a fine selection of whites and also Reds.

They have excelent Zweigelt and also a Asso Cuvee.

Their website shows some of their wine and philosophy- some of the best grapes come there.

Most all wimeries of the Wachau are small family owned ventures - no giant wineries with tours and tsting on a daily basis. Few woulsd be open for you to just visit and expect a tasting session.

Many place their wines in Vinotheks in the area. There you can taste many of thodse wines.

One is in Weissenkirchen bxy the Danube Ferry Landing.

I was by there recently and the building appears to be in the midst of renovation- no idea when this is finshed,

Many wineries have heurigers - wine taverns - they have various openings - ut some are always open.

one such place Weinberghof Lagler in Spitz.

usually open April - middle June- you can taste their wine in the Heuriger Good riesling, Veltliner and some zeigelt too.

www.weingut-lagler.at

Another good place is Jamek- a fantstic restaurnat but also a little bar area at the entrance where you can test their wine.

Some of the best Riesling but also a good Rose too.

www.weingut-jamek.at

Also any number of places along the bike trail- watch for signs and some bikes parked nearby.

Some other good places , but must be booked in advance and some must have a minimum number of guests.

Much better to just enjoy your day - you will find enough good wine!

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should be

www.domaene-wachau.at

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Removed on: 12:17 am, September 14, 2009

car in salzburg

Driving from Vienna -Durnstien - Salzburg wanting to know if we should keep the car in Salzburg to see the outlying areas (st wolf....etc)

it seems like car rental is discouraged...is it just as easy to hop on a train to get to outlying towns?

We are committed to staying 3 nights in Salzburg.

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A car will give you much more freedom to get out and about. While the trains and buses are good in Salzburg it%26#39;s much quicker, especially when you have a short stay, to get around by car. I recommend a visit to Konigsee, just over the border in Bavaria (close to Berchtesgaden). We nip over there in the car a lot and it only takes about forty minutes. Even driving up the Gaisberg to look down over the city and the fabulous views of the Alps is an easy thing to do in the car.

Parking in Salzburg is, however, very costly. Are you staying right in the town?

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yes at the hotel goldener hirsch, I am inquiring as to whether they have parking available.

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LizR,

i just started a new topic in this forum (Driving from vienna to salzberg). Looks like you would have the right info for me in that too.

also - if we have a car for 4-5 days and staying in a resort near saalfelden, how should we plan our days to sightsee. We are not into skiing hence we would like to see all the beautiful spots of Austria.

thanx

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Salzburg itself is very compact and entirely walkable. Perhaps you can plan to stay outside Salzburg for another day and see the oytlying areas if you don%26#39;t want to pay extra rental and parking charges.

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thanx. intend to stay outside salzburg and do salz as a visitor only

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There is parking close to the Goldener Hirsch at the Neutor (literally a few minutes walk away). I don%26#39;t know the cost, though. If you email the hotel they might tell you of any special arrangements they might have with a parking garage.

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Removed on: 12:17 am, September 14, 2009

Travelling Munich to Zell am See

Hi,

In August 2009, the family (me, wife, 2 kids) will be travelling from Munich to Zell am See.

I am looking for the cheapest / easiest way to travel.

Doing my own research I have found I could do:

1) Munich to Salzberg by Train using the Bavarian ticket. Cost = E28 - just the single ticket needed.

2) Salzberg Railway station to Zell am See by Postbus No:260. Cost = E10.60 / adult.

Is this the best way, or do people have better suggestions ?

Note: we will be travelling on Saturday, and be doing the return journey on a Saturday also.

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Hi there. From Munich I went by train but didn%26#39;t go through Salzburg. It%26#39;s quicker not to go through Salzburg - most of the routes I was shown didn%26#39;t go through Salzburg, but a few did at certain times.

However there was a train every hour and a half approximately, throughout the day, so it wouldn%26#39;t be a problem to many to take the more direct route.

I don%26#39;t know the price or timing of going through Salzburg, but the route I took by train is surprisingly cheap.

I changed at Worgl (Woergl), which is in Austria in Tyrol.

I booked and paid online at www.bahn.de - the German rail site, rather than Austrian trains.

The return journey was no cheaper than buying 2 singles - the tickets are added together.

I just missed the 19 Euros outward price - within around 30 days of travelling the price went up to 29 Euros. I got the 19 Euro price for returning Zell am See to Munich.

Total return price Munich to Zell - 48 Euros, just missing the cheapest 38 Euros price by a few days.

madalex sent me a question asking if these prices were for the first part of the journey, before the change, but no, the prices were for the whole journey. I understand that it would be asked, the prices are great for international rail travel, especially considering the often high rail prices in Germany.

There was no problem changing in Woergl. The second train was about 10 minutes late, though that made little difference. I hadn%26#39;t booked seats, only a few passengers on either train had booked seats.

These are great prices for the most expensive times re: visiting, accommodation wise at least - but no difference on the train - I travelled on 20 December and returned, Zell am See to Munich actually on New Year%26#39;s Eve.

The best advice is to book online at bahn.de over a month in advance. Prices are great. The journey was easy and comfortable. No better way to travel! You do have to have your credit / debit / prepaid card when showing your printout of the online ticket on the train - that%26#39;s standard practice. I was asked for it.

Coaches aren%26#39;t this cheap. Transfer time was very good. I was really pleased I could go to stay in Kitzbuhel for 4 days at the end of my holiday, instead of being in Zell / Kaprun all the time, and still use the return part of the ticket as Kitzbuhel was a stop from Zell to Munich. So I did that.

I really recommend going to Saalbach if you ski. It%26#39;s better than Kaprun. And it%26#39;s quicker and more convenient. The free resort bus from Zell to Kaprun really took all day (significantly longer than I was used to in going from one end of the huge European resort Serre Chevalier to the other, furthest end, in Austria it was well over an hour).

Saalbach takes 31 minutes on the bus (normal bus, not free) from Zell and is a better ski resort than Kaprun. It%26#39;s better than Zell too in my opinion, though staying in Zell gives you a great choice of Zell, Kaprun and (better and much easier than Kaprun) Saalbach, and also the quite small Leogang resort.

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Really do make the effort and go to Saalbach if you like the idea, it%26#39;s really recommended. I%26#39;ve no doubt most would enjoy it more than Kaprun, though it may seem easier to get on the free resort bus to Kaprun from Zell, because it says %26#39;Europa Sport%26#39; region, and you may think this is basic %26#39;while in Rome%26#39; stuff. You%26#39;d be missing out - by all means it%26#39;s a good idea to enjoy Kaprun for a day - going early. Europa sport is not really a resort for hopping on the bus between the areas during the day and the free resort bus kind of stops completely from late morning to after lunch.

I was disappointed with Kaprun. Also, the intermediate and easier skiing in Kaprun is some in the lower part, where the town is (not nearly as good as Zell, though Zell%26#39;s not my favourite resort either), and then also at the very top of the Kitzsteinhorn gondola. It takes ages to get up there. You can%26#39;t ski down to the bottom. There are two long gondolas to go on to get up there and one at least (probably two if you%26#39;re not at least a solid upper intermediate skiier) to take to get back down, and they close not long after three.

Kitzsteinhorn doesn%26#39;t offer much time for skiing. The lower glacier part is really upper intermediate skiing and visibility is often terrible - it%26#39;s a dangerous place. I%26#39;ve called it a place for on piste voyeur skiiers before - I remember being good enough once to ski nearly reasonably enough to make it worthwhile (even then it was years beyond me with lots of anticipated experience each year). But this year, I just got down, sliding some of the way, to the top of the first gondola - in that terrible weather (and nearly anyway) it was for quite advanced skiiers only (probablyrather than even better intermediates), and skiiers who have been skiing a lot in the time before. I am, as usual, back to being a lower intermediate skiier again who is learning to ski on red slopes slowly. This was so far from suitable for me.

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I see you%26#39;re going in summer - a mistake on my part -oh well, maybe you%26#39;re interested in skiing sometime!

I hope it%26#39;s helpful to some, maybe I%26#39;ll copy and paste, posting it again in a skiing thread.

I hope you enjoy your time in Austria.

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Hi factual5, thanks for all your info !!

Note: I have left you a Message in your Inbox.

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Removed on: 12:19 am, September 14, 2009

alternate travel vienna to venice

hi

family of three with railpass not keen on spending 8 hours on the day train to venice -have looked on most airline websites -lufthansa and air berlin too expensive ryan air easy jet dont fly this route is there any other airline that does or do they discount fares on the day thanks

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Sky Europe used to fly to Treviso which is North of Venice. But when their financial struggle commenced, they started to tighten their network. If you don%26#39;t find anything acceptable on alternative airlines (e.g. Austrian Airlines flies directly to Marco Polo Airport in Venice), you will need to opt for the train. You should also bear in mind that there isn%26#39;t always a low cost airline that serving a place alternatively. Rail is OFTEN the only alternative!

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Removed on: 1:31 am, September 14, 2009

Eurail or not

I am planning to travel to Vienna in June.. and I am hoping to visit Salzburg, Prague, Budapest, Venice, and Florence, while I am there. I will be living in Vienna for about two months.. and I am hoping to do these trips either as day trip (or two) and four days trip for Italy.

I am just wondering if I should get 4 country eurail pass for this or not... would this be my best bet? Or would I able to get cheaper transportation by either individually booking trains..or buses?

Please let me know,

Thank you kindly!

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Will you do these trips consecutively? In my opinion a pass can be good if someone travels intensively and rather far - and not to %26quot;neighboring%26quot; cities (except destinations in Italy).

Oneway regular railway fares/(Discounted fares):

Vienna %26gt; Salzburg 44€ (n.a.)

Vienna %26gt; Budapest 35€ (19€)

Vienna %26gt; Prague 49€ (29€)

Vienna %26gt; Venice 69€ (29€)

Discounted fares need to be booked in advance to avoid inavailability. Moreover, alteration or cancellation forbidden.

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A pass is not really worth the money, especially if you plan to travel to/in Italy.

Trains in Italy are cheap and reservation fees for passholders are high.

Inside of Austria, all trains DO NOT require a reservation, so you just walk to the station and buy a ticket and catch the train you want.

Are you younger than 26 or older than 60 (female) or 65 (male)? Then there is also a discount card, granting you 45-50% off for rail travel in Austria and 25% abroad (for travel between two countries).

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Thank you RobbiAUSTRIA and Mikey_Vienna for the info! They were very helpful. Also, yes, I am under 26. Where can I get discount from?

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If you are younger than 26, you can get a Vorteilscard %26lt;26 at any railway ticket window. Mind that the form is just in German language (you can also fill it in on the website and print it out). Don%26#39;t forget a valid passport and a foto.

You will get a paper %26quot;card%26quot; which is valid before you get the real plastic card sent by post.

More info:

oebb.at/pv/…index.jsp

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Thanks a lot RobbiAUSTRIA! :)

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Removed on: 1:32 am, September 14, 2009

Bought online tickets from OBB, what's next?

I booked train tickets (€29/pp) Vienna to Munich on oebb.at website and received email confirmation (in german) for the purchase. I was wondering if this is the only thing I will get from OBB? Is there another email for seat assignment? If not, is there a way to ask since it is a long train ride and we dont want to risk standing on the train the entire time.

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There is no (automatical) seat assignment on trains here, but you can separately purchase seat reservations for 3€/seat. Be informed that it is not necessary in most cases as there are always vacant seats available. Here in (Central) Europe we rarely reserve seats as it would be against the philosophy of flexible transportation. Most passengers get their tickets just before departure and board the train without any pre-reserved seats. You can additionally improve your situation by arriving slightly earlier than the rest. Because then you could choose from a wider seat selection (depending on train). If you take the RailJet Train coming from Budapest, the cabin won%26#39;t fully empty, as a few will proceed to Munich (or stops in between) like you. You will definitely not stand the entire trip!

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Thanks Mikey for the insight. The email confirmation threw me off a bit. Good thing we have google translate and helpful TAer like you!

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Removed on: 12:31 am, September 15, 2009

Help in Itinerary!!! (Transport-related questions...)

Hi All!

Although I have been reading a lot about Austria and other places through the help on this site, this is my very first post in TripAdvisor..I hope you would be able to help me :)

I am from Malta, and my boyfriend and I are planning to visit my friend who lives in Innsbruck,Austria, end of September. We decided to extend this visit to 14 days in total, so that after a week in Austria, we might be able to visit another country...

However, we cannot really choose what is best (in terms of budget and timing, as we will be travelling by train) for our second week, between :

- Slovenia (Bled, Ljubljana and the area)

- or Venice and Florence, in Italy

(Of course, we have no direct flights from Malta to Austria or Slovenia, so we are going to Austria via Munich, and we have to come back according to our last destination...)

I really wished I could combine the three of them, since they are all such magnificent places, but it seems too impossible for a 2 weeks%26#39; period, as there is so much to see and also I think it involves too many train connections...am I right?

So...would really appreciate if you could help me choose the best by explaining better (and the cheapest if possible) the transport system between these countries, departing from Austria. Unfortunately although I am choosing English on the site (www.oebb.at/) whenever I click on something it gets back to German...of which I do not understand a single word :$....Please help!!!

Thanks a lot!

JDB

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It does not make any sense to visit them all as it is too much to fit in a week. In the end you must decide what is more important to you. Innsbruck is not a good base to head for Slovenia. If you should decide for Slovenia, I%26#39;d eventually go for a rental car as rail is pretty inefficient thereto. Moreover, you should know that many European countries mandate possession of toll stickers being adhered to the windshield in order to use motorways. Fines for not doing so are steep (Austria: ~130€). If you decide for Italy, you should rely on trains as driving in Italian cities can be a nightmare. As Innsbruck is located on a major North-South railway corridor it would be pretty easy to travel there.

Austrian Railway Operator ÖBB Itinerary planer:

http://fahrplan.oebb.at/bin/query.exe/e

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As a matter of fact I just spoke with my friend in Austria and she told me to opt for Italy rather.

So we should catch a train from Innsbruck HBF to Brennero, and then we get another train from there to Verona, and from there another one to Firenze...right?

Thanks again for your help!!

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It is also possible with only one transfer in Bologna.

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Removed on: 12:32 am, September 15, 2009

Quirky, small hotel - 40th birthday surprise

Would anyone be able to recommend a small and quirky hotel or guesthouse, which is fairly close to the railway station (well within say 2 km)? It%26#39;s my boyfriend%26#39;s 40th birthday in August and as he%26#39;s a Sound of Music fanatic I%26#39;m booking a suprise trip. We%26#39;re both quite light sleepers and so need something fairly quiet, but like the unusual rather than big and modern. After 2/3 nights the plan is to jump on a train to Mayrhofen for a few nights.

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Don%26#39;t stay near the railway station - it%26#39;s not a good part of town. Anywhere in Salzburg is only about fifteen minutes away from the station by taxi so if you%26#39;re travelling by train after your visit you%26#39;ll have no hassle getting there.

The hotel Weisses Kreuz is small and lies just at the foot of the fortress in the old city. I%26#39;ve never stayed there but you could look up reviews of it here on TripAdvisor. Another hotel in the same area is the Weisse Taube which always gest good reviews here. Across the river, on Linzergasse, is Hotel Stadtkrug. It has a lovely garden which is accessed from way above street level and backs onto the Kapuzinerberg hill. Hotel Elefant and Hotel Goldene Ente are both in the old city too, in nice quiet locations.

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Liz Mentions Weiss Taube,

we stayed there last year, and would recommend it. Full of character, clean, nice breakfast, nice people and an A1 position, quiet but right in the old town. It%26#39;s actually part pedestrianised.

It%26#39;s very old, sounds like it would suit. I%26#39;d rate it a comfortable 3*.

Stoofer

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Thanks all, keep the suggestions coming :-)

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I enjoyed my stay at the Hotel Stadtkrug. It is a smaller hotel with typical Austrian decor located in the pedestrian area very close to the bridge connecting to the Altstadt. The interior rooms are very quiet, the place is immaculate, the owners helpful and the location was excellent IMO.

Definitely %26quot;quirky%26quot; and they have some great package rates.

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Removed on: 12:28 am, September 15, 2009

weather in seefeld

I will start my holiday in Seefeld on 21 March. Does anyone have a weather forecast for the week of 21-28 March. I have been to the seefeld.at website but cannot find a long range forecast.

Thanks in advance for your assistance!

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Saturday might be pretty cool with -12°C in the morning. Maximum around 5°C. It seems that winter strikes back for a moment. The following days should be spring-like with daily changing weather conditions. Expect sunshine and precipitation...

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Thanks for the updates.

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Removed on: 1:28 pm, March 18, 2009


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The Seefeld web site will provide you with good weather info-updated daily

www.seefeld.com

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Removed on: 12:33 am, September 15, 2009

I need train advise

I%26#39;ve purchased a five country train pass (France, Benelux, Germany, Switzerland, Austria) for late June to mid July. I want to take a train mid-afternoon from Paris to Vienna with a possible overnight stay in Switzerland. I have two nights to play with before arriving in Vienna. Any suggestions as to the route I should take?

Secondly I have the same situation after my seven night Vienna stay. I again have two nights to play with as I travel to Maastricht, Holland, via Amsterdam.

Any ideas for routes and overnight stays would be most welcome.

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Well, if you take a mid afternoon train from Paris towards Vienna, you must spend the night anywhere in between. I would probably stop in Zurich or preferably Salzburg. To reach Amsterdam you need to transit Germany, whose TA forum might offer good advice.

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If you%26#39;re travelling to Maastricht VIA Amsterdam I%26#39;d be tempted to spend the two nights actually in Amsterdam.

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I took your advice into account, and decided to book one night in Zurich and the following in Salzburg.

On the trip to Maastricht I booked one night in Luxembourg and the next in Amsterdam.

Thanks so much for your advice. It really helped.

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Removed on: 12:30 am, September 15, 2009

2-3 day side trip from Vienna and return to Vienna

Opinions on going either from Vienna to Salzburg for 2 days or to Budapest..Any other suggestions. I like to travel on or near water if possible and read about the Hovercraft to Budapest. Is it great?

Would prefer a package deal but can manage on my own for a couple of days

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I honestly never took a boat to Budapest, but many others reported that it was not really exciting or comfortable. All rivers have sections with nice scenery but also ones with unimpressive landscape along. If you decide to go to Budapest, I would consider the train.

If you go to Salzburg you could contemplate visiting the lake district (Salzkammergut Area) which is located close by. In the %26#39;Salzkammergut%26#39; I would focus on St. Wolfgang (cute village by the lake with a famous cog railroad bringing you to a great lookout), Bad Ischl (the summer residence of the emperor), Hallstatt and Obertraun (Dachstein Mountain and Ice Caves).

http://www.stwolfgang.at/

http://www.badischl.com/

http://www.oberoesterreich.at/hallstatt/

http://www.dachsteinwelterbe.at/

www.dachsteinwelterbe.at/index.php?id=41%26amp;L=1

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I loved Prague and highly suggest it for a side trip. You can also take a train there in 4 hours if you don%26#39;t want to drive.

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Brno is just up the rail line - about 1.5 hours, and it is like a mini, more medieval, version of Vienna http://www.brno.cz/index.php?lan=en - plenty of things to do and see there, including a UNESCO world heritage site. There is also a large lake with boat trips to Veveří Castle, which is great if you go in the summer. …wikipedia.org/wiki/…99ehrada.JPG

The hydrofoil to Budapest is actually a bit dull until you reach the final stretch from the Danube Bend down to Budapest, but it also depends on the weather.

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Removed on: 5:19 am, today

Honeymoon advice (Vienna - Zell Am See - Munich - Paris)

Hello,

i need your help !

I am actually planning my honeymoon on june, my husband made the reservations for this route:

Doha - Vienna (4 days) - Zell Am See (4 d.) - Munich (4 d.) - Paris (5 d.) - Doha

we have 17 days in total.

I am wondering if this doesn%26#39;t sound as crazy as i feel! it%26#39;s a long distance from my home town (Doha) to Vienna - flying for approx. 6 hours.

What do you think about the route?

What would you recommend for transportation from Vienna to Zell Am See? from Zell Am See to Munich? and from Munich to Paris? And how long would it take from one place to another?

Thanks!!

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I don%26#39;t regard 6 hours on an airplane as crazy. The world is that large - you cannot only stick to neighboring destinations of Qatar.

Your itinerary sounds basically great, but I miss the city of Salzburg therein. All the mentioned places have perfect railway access.

Austrian Railway Operator ÖBB Itinerary planer:

http://fahrplan.oebb.at/bin/query.exe/e

There is a direct train (OIC 542|dep. 06:40a) in the morning - all others require a transfer in the city of Salzburg. The appropriate railway station in Vienna is Railway Station Vienna-West. But in my opinion you should stop in Salzburg in order to tour this great city which was the birthplace of W.A. Mozart making the transfer issue obsolete. If you planned to visit Salzburg from Zell am See (what wouldn%26#39;t be efficient though feasible) or did not even think about, you could contemplate another train route which runs more Southerly through much more mountainous regions. You would have to depart from Railway Station Vienna-SOUTH and transfer in Leoben. In the end it would not even take decisively longer, but unfortunately you could only rely on two train pairs.

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Thanks for the great tips.

i thought of Salzburg but it was too late to fit it within the plan :( The decision was made already to go through these 4 destinations!

I need some tips regarding tranportation from one city to another (bus/car/train/plane)? how long does take?

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I already gave you comprehensive advice on transportation from Vienna to Zell am See. I also embedded a link to ÖBB where you can inquire Europe-wide itineraries.

Salzburg can also be easily done from Munich if you are still interested in.

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OPPS! I was at work and i only glanced through the part about Salzburg, my bad!

Thank you very much, that helped a lot :)

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Removed on: 12:24 am, September 16, 2009

Hotel vacancy during Salzburg Festival in August

I and my family (couple plus daughter of 15 years of age) plan to visit Austria in second half of August. It is the time when the Festival is held. My doubt is whether it will be difficult to find a hotel room in this period. Besides, how the city will look like during this period. In time allows, I may wish to go to one of the concerts or performance. What is the best way to go and will there by any package deal attractive?

Thank you for your response.

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Information on the festival can be found here:

http://www.salzburgerfestspiele.at/

No idea whether it is decisively harder to find an affordable accomodation. But for reassurance I would start looking for an accommodation as early as possible. I would not worry.

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Be aware that during the Salzburg festival, accomodation in the city gets very expensive, especially luxury hotels, which sometimes charge double or triple rates compared to off-season. Even cafés and restaurants are said to switch to more expensive menus during festival.

Be prepared to pay a lot and reserve early, then it shouldn%26#39;t be a problem to find a hotel room.

It%26#39;s a great season to visit, but obviously the city will be rather packed. Do consider staying a bit outside, maybe in the lake district from where the city can be reached easily by public transport.

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Removed on: 12:26 am, September 16, 2009

Best route for the magical triangle - Vienna-Prague-Budapest

Hey guys

We are planning a trip to the magical triangle and other nearby towns in April. We are wondering what the best route would be -

Currently we are thinking to fly into Vienna:

Vienna-3 days

Salzburg 2 day

Prague (and ceske krumlov) 4 days

Bratislava 2 days

Budapest-2 days

and back to Vienna and fly out from there.

We have a few questions:

a) Is this route efficient? Or should we jiggle our itinerary around? We are open to suggestions to the route, and any recommendations of any other cities that we should visit en route. Or should we fly into Prague and start the triangle from there.

b) What is the best way of getting around? Should we rent a car? Both of us enjoy driving. Or is parking a big problem, and we should stick to public transport? What would be more cost friendly?

Thanks for the help!

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This itinerary sounds really good as it incorporates a lot of top destinations of Central Europe. The only alteration I would think about is the time allocated to Bratislava. Two days are too much! Bratislava is basically an interesting city with a pronouncedly cute city centre, but you would be done after a few hours. I recommend to visit Bratislava as side trip from Vienna as the travel time is only 60 minutes. You would not have to handle your luggage when there if done from Vienna. Transfer one day from Bratislava to Vienna and one day to Budapest. The question where to start the loop depends on the lowest airfare you will be offered ( at least I would decide that way).

As you only travel between major cities I would rely on the train. Only Cesky Krumlov is (remotely) located between Salzburg and Prague and hard(er) to reach by public transportation as the town is not situated at a major railway corridor. The direct train from Salzburg to Prague would only take you to Ceske Budejovice which is the closest train station to Krumlov (requiring another transfer). Therefore I would consider getting from Salzburg back to the city of Linz (on a train towards Vienna), from whose main railway station a shuttle could take you directly to Krumlov. From Krumlov to Prague you can rely on a direct bus service offered by Studentagency.

shuttlelobo.cz/artid=4%26lang=en%26mode=normal

http://www.studentagency.cz/

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Make sure you have 3 FULL days in Prague and Vienna. Allow time for travel. Meaning - the train between Prague and Vienna is 4 hours.

I am going to Budapest this year. I can%26#39;t imagine doing 2 days there. Only you know what you want to see though.

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I just realised that there is also a shuttle from Salzburg to Krumlov, hence you don%26#39;t need to go to Linz. But the price seems to increase from 450 CZK (ex Linz) to 1100 CZK (ex Salzburg).

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Removed on: 12:24 am, September 16, 2009

Salzburg and Club La Costa Alpine Centre in Harham

I am flying into Salzburg for 5 nights in June but staying at the Club La Costa Alpine Centre in Harham as it is a time share resort.

Has anyone been to this Alpine Centre or know anything about it? I haven%26#39;t read any reviews other than from Club La Costa%26#39;s website which is no doubt bias.

Also would anyone know what the best way of getting to and from the Alpine Centre and Salzburg? I am getting the impression that it is best to hire a car.

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Here is some info for getting there from Salzburg:

www.clublacostaalpinecentre.com/contactus.htm

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Im also going to CLC Alpine Centre in June (13th)and cannot find reviews, hope its ok! Mo

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I%26#39;m also looking at going to the Club La Costa Alpine Centre in October.

Can you tell me what you think of it and the activities? i.e. sking, walks, restaurants etc.

Hope you have/had a good trip.

Thanks in advance.

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Were you back from this trip? I am curios about your experience. I booked a trip to Salzburg and will stay at Club La Costa Alphine Center.

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This place is located between Saalfelden and Zell am See. I have driven on this road numerous times and do not remember ever seeing this place- perhaps re named or something.

I would suggest that it is best to rent a car if staying there as not too much to see and do in the immediate nearby area.

I note that hotel website shows numerous photos of tourist attractions but these are not close to the hotel and require a form of transport.

Saalfelden the closest real town - 5 - 10 kilometers away.

Probably 2 hours to Salzburg by public transport - transfers needed.

Closest good skiing is probably Saalbach- again connection best with an auto.

I would look for a more convenient vacation destination.

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We are also planning to visit the Alpine Centre by mid December this year, how was your trip there, would you recommend the hotel and facilities???

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we are going here for a winter holiday jan 09. there are not many reviews available for this place, i wonder what it was called prior to club la costa, if anyone knows?

i will update when we return in feb 09

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hi how did you get on? we are going there in February and are tryoing to fine an inexensive way of getrting from Salzburg to the Alpine centre --- any tips?

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Hi how did you get on --- can you give me any tips on getting there inexpensively - the internet transfers seem awfully expensive...we arrive on Saturday 14 Feb late afternoon....any help appreciated.

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CLC at harham, saalfenden, is on the main road just before Zell am See.

We stayed there 7 days this December. This is our opinion and advice:

Staff: 5 star

Venue: 3 star max.

Food 2 star max.

Hotel is 80%26#39;s style and a little tired. It could do with modernising and brightening up. For some obscure reason they keep all the lights dimmed which gives a sense of dullness to the place.

The actual rooms were comfortable, spacious and clean. Very warm too.

No central lounge area which is a major issue for a place like this because if you wanted to mix with other people, you either did so in reception standing up or stayed in the restaurant clogging up the staff%26#39;s attempt at closing the place!

Half board for 5 of us was 126 euros (about £120) per day and the food definitely wasn%26#39;t worth it. In fact this was the worse aspect of the holiday. If we did it again, we wouldn%26#39;t eat here - there are numerous eating places about the neighbourhood.

Good family venue incorporating:

table tennis / pool / sauna / pool table etc.

Magazines scattered about theplace were dated 2004 and 2006??? What%26#39;s that all about?

In the courtyard there was a ski school which opened for an hour a day. Ski passes and kit could be obtained here [5% discount on these if you go half board]. The shop was very helpful indeed.

In fact ALL the staff without exception, were kind/polite and extremely helpful throughout.

They MADE this place work.

Advice:

Rent a car before you arrive. DON%26#39;T rent on arrival due to the euro/£ rate. We looked on one of the multiple cheap car web search engines and came up with [holiday rentals.com (owned by lastminute) and had a Zafira for a week for £205. Remember to order ski racks and enquire how many ski%26#39;s each rack can hold (essential if family of 5!!! Less members in car - maybe you can drop a rear seat and fit ski%26#39;s inside?

If you don%26#39;t rent a car, this is what you end up with:

CLC pick up from Salzburg airport: 110 euros (£100) EACH WAY!!!

Every day lift to ski slopes: (They ring for a local taxi sometimes if their minibus isn%26#39;t available). 4 euros EACH, return. The bus ONLY goes at 0840 each morning, miss it and you%26#39;re on your own! The bus comes back to CLC leaving the slopes at 4pm! Too early.

There is NOTHING to do around Harham as it is slightly industrialised and not particularly pretty so you would then need another taxi to get you anywhere.

By the time you add all this up it costs much more than the rental car and is MUCH less flexible.

Don%26#39;t bother with the elaborately advertised sleigh ride. It%26#39;s a horse and cart ride around the block!

The %26#39;panorama%26#39; breakfast which includes a 30 min walk each way to a neighbouring cafe overlooking a large pond is OK, but pond is covered in snow and looks like a field!! (4 euros each). Reasonable.

6 Km toboggan ride nearby is OK (4 euros each ride) but the tractor only takes you half way up slope. The rest of the way to the top is a 50 minute walk up hill!!!

Salzburg tour is 64Km away and costs 42 euros each. OK for culture vultures (sound of music and Mozart).

Skiing:

Confusing when first arrive.

Venue breaks down into 3 resorts. ALL of them are satisfactory to V good.

We were advised to buy passes for the Zell am See and Glacier resort which is a twin centre ticket. It turned out to be good advice. Massive choice for beginners thru to mogul freaks. 3000m is tops. But watch the weather at this height as cloud can move in very quickly and catch you out. Glacier is N facing so after 2pm it goes shady and even colder. Kids need to keep moving.

The piste is VERY modern, some chair lifts are heated seats and brand new. The whole resort is very well run and organised. We skiid over Christmas and it wasn%26#39;t overcrowded.

Good snow constantly piste bashed! Fantastic cafe%26#39;s and bars. HOWEVER, it is NOW VERY EXPENSIVE INDEED. Coffee is £4+, jacket potatoe with tuna: £8. Coke: £4. All because of the euro/pound issue.

Ski pass for a day at a time: £40/adult. £32 for half day (11.30+). Getting cheaper if you buy bulk days. Walkers can use the mountain for £26/day.

Zell am See is pretty down by a lake and a little touristy.

Scenery is to die for!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Hope this helps.

Innsbruck

I intend to make a whole day trip from Innsbruck to Salzburg. Can someone give best advice on transport, places to see, cost of train, etc.?

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Itinerary Planer of Austrian Railways ÖBB:

http://fahrplan.oebb.at/bin/query.exe/e

For sights visit the website of Salzburg Tourism or browse the internet:

www.salzburg.info

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Removed on: 12:27 am, September 16, 2009

Honeymoon in Austria

Hi.We are planning to go for our honeymoon for 7 days to Austria in the last week of May.We were looking at suggestions on where to go and what are the best things to do in a limited budget.We were looking at stays in farmhouses which seemed very reasonable.Our destinations were Salzburg ,Innzbruck and Vienna.Can anybody please recommend places to go and things to do given the occasion.Thanks in advance

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Well, as you intend to visit cities, farmhouses won%26#39;t be a solution. I have never seen a typical farm in Vienna. ;) Honestly, I would like to know how you came to this? But it is not a problem at all to find affordable accommodation in the cities mentioned. Browse the forum as there have been numerous discussion on this. Concerning %26quot;Things to do%26quot; please visit the websites of the respective tourism boards or browse the internet.

www.wien.info

www.salzburg.info

www.innsbruck.info

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Removed on: 12:27 am, September 16, 2009

music tickets in vienna

I was blown away by the massive amounts of concert tickets available in Vienna...we would like to pop into a few lite mozart etc. concerts while we are in town...any suggestions...maybe ones that wont break the bank...or take all evening long???

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Maybe you find something here:

http://www.concerttickets-vienna.com/

http://www.wien.info

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Removed on: 12:27 am, September 16, 2009

Sporer Punsch?

I was wondering if anyone knows of any internet sites where I can buy some Austrian fruit punsch?

I recently bought some for my parents in January from a shop on Getreidegasse and would really like to purchase some more for my Dad%26#39;s birthday. Any help would be appreciated.cheers

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Sporer has an on -line shop.

Unfortunately they only ship to Germany and Ausrtria.

perhaps you could contact them directly and pose your question.

www.sporer.at

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Thanks but I had actually emailed them direct and they can%26#39;t ship to the UK because of the duty... so was looking for English distributors really but so far haven%26#39;t found it available anywhere else

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Removed on: 12:19 pm, yesterday

Advice needed for a short trip to Durnstein from Vienna

I am hoping to go for a very brief half-day trip from Vienna to Durnstein on th 26th Apr(sunday).

From the OBB website, it appears I could catch a train from either Vienna%26#39;s Sudbanhof (7.23 am, 0 changes, 2 hours) or Floridsdorf (7.44 am, 1 change, ~1.5 hours) to Durnstein Oberloiben.

I wonder if anyone could advise me on which train to take? And, I have been trying to look for Floridsdorf station but to no avail.

I plan to take the 12.19pm or 1.15 pm train back to Vienna, whereby the final destination is Floridsdorf. The next train is one that goes back to Westbahnhof but I think my ticket (group ticket) would not be valid on that train.

I will be staying somewhere near Westbanhof.

On a totally different note, I wonder if I could catch a train to Krems, and take a boat trip down to Durnstein and back to Krems. Is this feasible at all?

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Austrian Rail has recently announced that the train Bridge crossing the Danube by Tulln, the usual line for most trains Vienna- Krems - Dürnstein will be closed from the end of March through at least October . They replace the bridge now more than 100 years old.

A minor inconvenience adding some miutes to the trip but no extra big problem.

Floridsdorf is on the east side of the Danube and has a regional transfer center of streetcars, UBahn and regional trains - easy to rach and well signed for connections. I find it a convenient place to catch these trains.

This is very easy to reach from the area of the Westbahnhof via UBahn line U-6 Floridsdorf is the end station.

You can also get there via streetcar#31 from the area of Schottenring.

Schottenring also served by the UBahn lines U-2 and U-4.

You could also use U-6 for your return to the westbahnhof area.

The boat station in krems is about 3 kilometers from the Krems train station.

Bus # 1 will take you there or a short and cheap taxi ride.

The distance from Krems to Dürnstein is just 7-8 kilometers , scenic but not as nice as further up river. Less than ideal and expensive compared to the overall trip

check the boat firms

www.ddsg-blue-danube.at

www.brandner.at

I would look to an alternative.

Train from Westbahnhof to Melk - about the same time as floridsdorf - Krems-

Visit Melk Abbey- take boat down river from Melk to Krems- get off in Dürnstein- visit Dürnstein- then train back to Vienna .

see the Kombi offer for this on the ddsg site.

Makes a great day trip whichever way you decide.

Melk and Dürntein - oth most beautiful and interesting

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Hi Vertical,

Thanks for the brilliant advice! I wouldnt know of the temporary closure if not for your %26quot;insider%26#39;s%26quot; information!

Your idea sounds really good. I will think about it and maybe, do exactly as what you suggested!

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Do they still offer the Combo Ticket? That was a great deal when I took the train to see Melk, then the boat cruise down Danube. We did not stop a Durstein but got off at Krems instead. We detoured a bit in the little town of Stein and then walked to the train station (almost 30 minutes) and took the train back.

OBB%26#39;s site does not seem to offer the Combo Ticket beyond October 2008. I am sure it%26#39;s just not updated since they%26#39;ve offered it year after year, and it%26#39;s on DDSG%26#39;s site as well (see link below). Just go up to the OBB ticket counter and ask for it.

ddsg-blue-danube.at/english/…e_lwac_kombi.asp

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By the way, if you do end up going to Melk, be sure to study the directions in advance, especially on how to get to the pier from the abbey. It%26#39;s a solid 20 minute walk down and around. You need to allow enough time to reach the pier before the boat sails.

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The Melk - Krems combi ticket is very popular and yes is still available-

they offer various combinations for bikes , picnics wine etc.

No long walk needed from Krems boat station to train station.

Just at the street as you exit the boat landing is a bus stop ( Bus# 1 , I think) regular service including town center of Krems and the train station.

Last year , a small train was there also to provide a tour of Krems and includesa stop at the train station. Perhaps the train runs again this year. The bus certainly does.

The walk from Melk Abbey is not long and is mostly all downhill .Easily done.

Many tourists will be taking this route from the town center as the boat schedule is fixed- Signs I thinK too.

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Vertical,

I%26#39;ve been reading your earlier posts and was wondering if this is an option... Instead of visiting Krems, can I use Melk-Krems combi ticket to visit Durnstein and catch a train (is the fare included in combi ticket) back to Vienna from Durnstein?

Thanks!

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Hello terpcountry!

Good idea !

Dürnstein is a very intersting small village but much to see -

The Church /Stift well worth a visit - many old well maintainesd buildings and a few nice shops. Of course the ruins above the town that legend says was the location where Richard the Lionhearted held for ransom in the 1100s.

In Dürnstein lok carefully at the buildings - many from the 1500s- interesting architecture

some nice restaurants and wine taverns too.

The Alter Klosterkeller is very nice with a terrace giving nice views of the Danube.

Your combi ticket is good for the boat trip to Dürnstein or Krems.

The boat stop in Dürnstein is on the Promenede just below the town.

From the boat dock you can walk up the stairs you will see immediately in front of you- this will bring you quickly 2 minutes to the town center- or if these steps appear too steep - you can walk to the right perhaps 150 meters to the next set of steps - much less steep and brings you directly to the Church.

for good info on Dürnstein

their website

www.duernstein.at

available in english too.

some nice shops to buy wine etc too.

The Train station is just east of the town center - just walk easteard through the gate - slightly downhill passing a parking lot and folow signs Bahnhof ( train station- walk from the town center to trian station 7 minutes perhaps - a small cafe next to the station too while you wait.

Technically your combi ticket is just good for the route Krems - Vienna.

Dürnstein to Krems may be 1- 2 euro.

You can pay the driver - perhaps he will not even ask you to pay - this just a small regional train - show him your combi ticket .

Normally in Krems - the arriving train from FDürnstein is on the same or adjacent track for an easy transfer - schedules are co -ordinated so you are best to move quickly - normaaly the Vienna trian will have a sign in the window.

Note - due to construction of a new bridge over the Danube neqar The town of Tulln, the Vienna train arrives in Vienna Floridsdorf - eays transfer via streetcar # 31 or Ubahn Line U-6 to central Vienna.

In my opinion, this way of stopping in Dürnstein makes for a most interesting time.

The River from Dürnstein to Krems is just a short trip of 7 Kilometers - 4 + miles and is the least scenic of the entire Wachau area-

Enjoy your trip!

Shold you wish more info on Dürnstein or the Wachau - just ask- some of my favorite places.

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Thanks Vertical! You are truly a godsend. I am getting more information from you then the guidebooks I%26#39;ve been reading!

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Most Welcome terpCountry!

Happy to assist a little.

Dürnstein and the Wachau always a favorite place for me

I recently sent some info about it via a private messge to another poster-

have a website for you for the Alter Klosterkeller

www.alter-klosterkeller.at

nice relaxed dining in town -

their photos offer a true picture of the facilites - directly in the town.

Sanger Blondel hotel restaurant ok too.

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Removed on: 12:18 pm, yesterday